Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Worlds Best Whole Wheat Waffles
This summer our family went to Moab for a little vacation and thanks to Yelp reviews we ate breakfast at a little place on the main road called "Love Muffin Cafe". Its kind of organic, healthy, hippy food, but I highly recommend it. There I ate the best waffle of my life. So full of yummy hearty flavor but surprisingly light. Oh, mamma it was good. So for Valentines day I decided to recreate this waffle for James and found a recipe that had similar ingredients. And it too was oh, so good. (Not as perfect... but so close to it that you can't tell the difference.) So there you go. I know flax seed meal costs almost $4.oo for a bag, but you only use 1/4 cup so it will last you a long time and is worth that investment! This recipe has minimal fat thanks to the use of applesauce instead of more oil or butter and is full of whole grain goodness. So try it!
2 eggs, beaten
1 3/4 cups skim milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup flax seed meal
1/4 cup wheat bran (or wheat germ)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Beat in whole wheat pastry flour, flax seed meal, wheat germ, all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt until batter is smooth.
Preheat a waffle iron, and coat with cooking spray. Pour batter into waffle iron in batches, and cook until crisp and golden brown.
(Calories: 280)
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
The 3 Week Meal Plan
Grilled Island Chicken / Black Bean Sweet Corn Quinoa Salad
Red Pepper Quesadillas
Penne Alla Vodka/ Roasted Broccoli
Grilled Chicken with Warm Mango Salsa on Rice
Eggplant Manicotti
Spinach Chicken Stromboli
Roasted Pork Tenderloin/ Roasted Rosemary Potatoes
Turkey Tacos
Philly Cheese Steak/ Sweet Potato Fries
Grilled Chicken Parmesan
Italian Chicken Vegetable Kabobs
Shepherds Pie with Beef
Lasagna Soup
Loaded Nachos
Honey Lemon Chicken
Creamy Chicken Pot Pie
Tomato Soup /Whole Wheat Veggie Turkey Panini
Mediterranean Pizza
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Brownies (Black Bean)
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1½ cups canned black beans, rinsed and drained
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon espresso powder (I used postum or pero)
- ¾ cup egg substitute (or 3 eggs)
- 2 tablespoons low-calorie sugar-free chocolate syrup (or just the real stuff!)
- 2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 24 packets (84 g) Truvia or 8 tablespoons granulated Splenda (or 1/2 cup to 1 cup sugar*)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- a handful of dark chocolate chips or cocoa nibs... (adds a few extra calories, but so good.)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Spray an 8×8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
- Combine the beans, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and egg substitute in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl halfway through.
- Add the chocolate syrup, sour cream, butter, Truvia, and vanilla. Process until all of the ingredients are combined, about 1 minute. Add the chocolate chips if desired.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish, and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, turning the dish halfway through the baking time. A toothpick inserted in the center will come out with soft batter clinging to it.
- Let the brownies cool completely in the baking dish on a wire rack. Then cut into 12 squares and serve. Refrigerate any leftovers.
The "Now Eat This" Challenge
So since September I have made a goal to cook at least 2 or 3 recipes from this book a week until I have cooked them all. After cooking them all, I will then be able to say which ones are good, great, or hardly edible. If you'd like to join me in my healthy eating journey, please join in. I will test them out for you, and let you know which ones you have to try and which ones to not waste y our time & energy on. I know... I haven't blogged about my cooking in ages. But here's to a fresh start. If I'm the only one left still reading this blog, that's OK. At least our little of family of 4 will be all the healthier & more delicious for it. Wish me luck! We're about to find out if healthy really can taste good, I mean "comfort food good"!
Disclaimer: By the looks of things, this cook book contains ingredients that are not always "cheap" like my blog address proclaims. However, there is a little Italian proverb that says, "You either pay the farmer or the doctor." So as I grumble about the extra produce I have to buy, I will remind myself that they're cheaper than a box of Oreos and definitely cheaper than a new heart or kidney. :) I also may throw in a few random recipes from time to time that are not from this book that I insist you must try and can't wait till this challenge is over to share them with you.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Yummy Thin Crust Pizza
I decided I needed to put more family friendly, fast recipes that people could use weekly or monthly. Something reliable & loved by many. So I turned to my sister Mary, mother of 5 who makes this every "Friday Pizza Night". It is so fast,good, & cheap. She triples the recipe but for a family of 3 we did it exactly as written & it worked great!
1 package yeast (1 Tbsp.)
1/4 tsp. sugar
3/4 c. hot water
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees (I didn't know my oven went that high- but it does!) Dissolve yeast and sugar in the hot water and allow to rest for 8 min. Combine flour and salt in a separate bowl. Add yeast mixture to flour mixture.
Mix and knead. (I just stick it in my kitchenaid with the dough hook for about 5 min.) Top with sauce, cheese, & toppings.
Bake for 10 min. (The little pizza's bake for 8-10 min.)
Makes one pizza or 6 small pizzas.
Frosted Ginger Snaps
These are cheap, but not guilt free! However they are so soft & delicious that I just had to make the recipe accessible to you. They aren't too spicy or strong, but they have lots of yummy flavor and I think the frosting adds the perfect touch. Enjoy!
1/2 c. butter softened
1/4 c. canola oil
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1/4 c. molasses
2 c. + 2 T. flour
1/2 t. salt
2 t. baking soda
1 t. ginger
2 t. cinnamon
Cream together butter, oil, sugar, egg & molasses. Sift together flour, salt, baking soday, ginger, & cinnamon in a separate bowl. Combine. Roll into 1 inch balls & roll in additional sugar if you do not plan on frosting them. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes.
*If you make a large pizza size cookie bake 6 min. Cover the edges with foil & bake an additional 8 minutes.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
1/4 c. butter (half stick)
1/2 pkg. cream cheese
1 c. powdered sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
Whip the softened butter & cream cheese. Mix in powdered sugar & vanilla.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
The Hunger Games Dinner
Warm Rolls Eaten in the Cave:
(Cool-rise Rich Dough)
In mixing bowl:Dissolve 1 package (or 1 Tbsp.) dry yeast in 1/3 c. warm water.
While yeast is dissolving, in another bowl(microwave safe) mix:
1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
2 T. butter
Warm this mixture in microwave until it reaches 125 degrees. ( I start with cold ingredients and use high power for 2 minutes) Pour into the yeast mixture and begin adding flour.
2 1/2 - 3 c. flour
1 egg, best at room temp.
Add egg while adding flour. Beat until smooth. Need with hook on mixture for 10 min. If doing it by hand, knead until the dough is rubbery & looks right.
Put back in bowl (or leave in kitchen aid bowl). Cover & let rise for 20-30 min. Pour out on floured board, knead again, shape, & put on sprayed cookie sheet or casserole dish. Brush with oil, cover with towel and let rise for at least 30 minutes. Bake at 375 for 15 min or until golden brown. Take out and brush with melted butter.
Note:Called "Cool-rise" because you can make them in the morning or up to 25 hours before you want to bake them, cover them, and put them in the fridge. Take out of the fridge 2 hours before you want to bake them to allow them to rise again. Then Bake.
This recipe is a mix of 2 recipes: 1 from the Oprah magazine & 1 from epicurious.com. To make it cheap & guilt free, I used only 1/2 lb. of lamb instead of 3 lbs & added 1 1/2 beef.
1/4 c. olive oil
1 large onion, grated
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 lb lamb shoulder + 1 1/2 lb stew beef, cut into 1 1/2 in. pieces
2 1/2 c. chicken broth
4 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise & cut into 1 inch pieces
Zest of 1 orange, cut in wide strips
2 c. butternut squash, cubed into 1 in. pieces
1 roasted bell pepper, cut into 1 in pieces
1/4- 1/2 c. dried plums (prunes), chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
1. Combine the oil, onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, salt, and pepper in a large, heavy pot. Stir well, then add the meat. Toss the meat with the spice mixture to coat it well.
2. Add the broth, carrots, orange zest, and butternut squash. Bring to a boil over high heat. Then reduce the heat and simmer gently, partially covered, over medium heat for 30 minutes. Add the roasted pepper and dried plums; cook, partially covered, until the lamb and vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes more. Remove and discard the chili and orange zest. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve immediately.
"Goat Cheese & Apples" Salad
(also eaten in the cave with Peeta)
This recipe is from Allrecipes.com and is to die for! Granted it was originally made with Roquefort cheese & pears, I switched it up to fit the story. The dressing is what makes it divine. My goat cheese got a little too soft like cream cheese so if I did it again I would freeze it or keep it refrigerated longer so it didn't get so soft. This salad tastes amazing with feta cheese also.
2 apples- peeled, cored, and chopped
5 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
1 avocado- peeled, pitted, & diced
1/2 c. thinly sliced green onions
1/4 c. white sugar
1/2 c. pecans
1/3 c. olive oil
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 Tbsp. white sugar
1/2 Tbsp. prepared mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
Black pepper to taste
- In a skillet over medium heat, stir 1/4 cup of sugar together with the pecans. Continue stirring gently until sugar has melted and caramelized the pecans. Carefully transfer nuts onto waxed paper. Allow to cool, and break into pieces.
- For the dressing, blend oil, vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, mustard, chopped garlic, salt, and pepper.
- In a large serving bowl, layer lettuce, apples, cheese, avocado, and green onions. Pour dressing over salad, sprinkle with pecans, and serve.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
These cookies are cheap, but not guilt free and oh so good. I put a little to much flour in mine when I made them for The Hunger Games book club. This is my sister Mary's recipe & truly one of my all time favorite cookies. It makes a ton but if you don't want a ton, just freeze the dough. She is friends with the owner of "smart cookie" company and he told her the secret to their delicious cookies is to use bread flour instead of all-purpose. I tried it & it makes a difference! So you should try it too!
1 lb. butter (4 cubes), softened to room temp
2 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 c. white sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla (real, not imitation)
6- 6 1/2 c. bread flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
Chocolate chips
Cream the butter and sugars. Mix in eggs & vanilla. Slowly incorporate in flour, salt, & baking soda. Lastly fold in your chocolate chips. Dish with a cookie disher onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 to 12 min. or until edges are lightly golden. Place on cooling rack & devour!